Madsebakke, Bronze Age petroglyph site in Bornholm, Denmark.
Madsebakke is an archaeological site containing over 1000 rock carvings spread across granite surfaces in Bornholm. The petroglyphs feature ships, sun symbols, foot prints, and other designs from the Bronze Age, distributed across multiple rock formations.
The carvings were created roughly 3000 years ago during the Bronze Age, making them among Northern Europe's largest collections of rock art from that period. They document a time when people in the region developed maritime cultures and organized societies.
The carvings reveal symbols that held meaning in the daily lives of early Nordic peoples, reflecting their connections to the sea and spiritual beliefs. Ships, sun symbols, and footprints suggest the importance of trade, worship, and human presence in their world.
The site is easily accessible from a parking area near Allinge stadium on Stadionvej, where informational panels help explain the carvings. Wear sturdy footwear when exploring the granite surfaces, as the terrain is uneven in places.
Several of the ship carvings and sun symbols appear to align with the winter solstice sunrise, suggesting a possible astronomical connection to the carvings. This alignment reveals that the people who made them likely observed celestial movements.
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